Education sector totally ignored in past: Senate told

ISLAMABAD, Nov 21 (APP): Caretaker Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi on Tuesday apprised the Senate that the education sector was ignored in the past and many private universities were allowed to operate in various parts of the country. Replying to various supplementary questions during Question Hour, he said that even some universities were set up in few rooms. The chairman Higher Education Commission has been tasked to improve the standard and quality of education, he said.

To a question, the minister said Ms Lubna Said, an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Services serving in BPS–19 was appointed on the vacant post of Deputy Permanent Delegate of Pakistan to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris.

The officer has earned academic degrees in MSc in the discipline of International Relations from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and Maters degree in Business Administration in Financial Management from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. He said the vacancy announcement of the post of Deputy Permanent Delegate of Pakistan to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris was advertised in the national dailies on 10th March, 2023. The then prime minister appointed Lubna Said from a panel of three candidates, he added.

To another question, he said that in pursuance to Section 4(c) and 5(b) of ICT – PEIRA Act No. XI of 2013, ICT-PEIRA has been empowered to regulate and fix the fees of private schools in Islamabad. However, the enabling Rules of Private Educational Institutions (Registration and Fee Determination) Rules, 2016 for fee fixation and determination i.e. Rule 36 and Rule 37 and mechanism defined as criteria and financial model as set out in Schedule-V and Fee increase proposal (FIP) are struck down by Honorable Islamabad High Court (IHC), he said.

He said in this regard, ICA has been filed and still not decided. The ICA is fixed for a hearing on November 11, 2023. He said In pursuance of the Judgement of IHC, ICT-PEIRA has formulated and issued a Fee Determination Policy for PEIs in ICT, while seeking a benchmark guideline from the Judgements of the August Supreme Court of Pakistan and Islamabad High Court. However, the said policy has also been challenged by private schools in the IHC and the matter is subjudice with the directions that no coercive measure shall be adopted, according to the policy impugned, he said.